Slipping Through Her Fingers
by MeGkAtHeRiNe
Summary: Emily and Morgan had a relationship... before she threw it away... along with her daughter.
1. Chapter 1

Emily jumped out of the SUV and stood on the busy sidewalk. The wind blew her hair to the side as she looked down at the tiny piece of paper in her hand, then back up at the building in front of her. She let out a nervous smile and made her way through the entrance doors. This was it.

After asking the doorman which floor it was, she finally arrived in front of the door. Her smile fell and all her worries came rushing back as she saw the family name on a piece of wood next to the door. She reluctantly raised her fist to knock on the door when it flew open. The gust of wind made her hair fly behind her shoulders and her fist fall to her side.

"Can I help you?"

The girl was roughly sixteen, her hair was a light brown, going along with her pale skin. Her green eyes hiding slyly behind her side bangs, her jeans and tank top covered with droplets of black and blue paint. Emily's eyes softened when she saw the girl's wavy hair in a ponytail, swinging back and forth lightly behind her head.

"Are you Natalie?"

The girl nodded then squinted.

"Are you the child service lady?"

Emily's eyes widened and shook her head as she smiled sheepishly. "N-no. Um, are you expecting one?" What has this girl's parents been doing to her?

"No. I was going to say that you're meant for two doors down. Can I help you with anything Mrs.?"

Emily shook her head. "Ms. It's Ms… P."

Natalie smiled as she leaned against the doorframe. "Ms. P?" She watched as Emily nodded and she laughed lightly. "Well, alright. Do you need-"

"Allie what's going on?"

Emily watched as a man came around the corner, wiping his hands with a rag. His shirtless chest, along with his jeans, were covered in paint.

"Dad, this is Ms-"

"Emily."

Emily smiled shyly at the man as Natalie slowly backed away. "I'm gonna go and finish the project. Why don't you guys… uh, chat."

Both adults watched the young girl as she half skipped, half walked, down the hall and around the corner. There was music blasting, then the sound of a slam of a door. The man turned to Emily and shook his head in disbelief. "Emily, what are you doing here?"

"I, um, was in the neighborhood. The team is here on a case."

The man nodded and moved to the side, letting Emily slip into the apartment past him. They sat down on the couch and smiled shyly at each other.

"So, how has she been?"

The man turned away from her and smiled at the wall in front of him. "She's great. Straight A student, not too good in drawing art, but good with sculpting. She has great friends, one rotten boy-" a loud bang interrupted his speech. Emily winced and immediately turned to the door Natalie had gone through.

"What was that?"

The man grabbed her arm, and she whipped her head around to him. Both eyes landed on his hand on her arm, then looked back into each other's eyes. He slowly laid his hands back on his knees and she shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.

"It's just her sculpting. It's pretty fun, that's why we're covered in paint."

Emily looked at him and smiled when she saw his chest. His throat clearing brought her attention back and she blushed.

"Emily, why are you here all of a sudden?"

"I told you, I'm here on business-"

"You couldn't come any other time?"

She shrugged her shoulders and picked imaginary dust off of her pant leg. "I wasn't allowed. Remember?"

"But you were granted your rights two years ago."

She nodded and looked at him with a smile, but tears in her eyes. "I know."

The man nodded and took a quick glance at the black door that clashed with the white and brown paint everywhere in the house. "Do you want to see her working on a project? It's fun."

Emily looked up and smiled. "Yeah. I'd love to."

They made their way to the door before it opened. Natalie stood there with a smile on her face, facing her father. The music booming in the background, she let them enter the dark room. There was a metal box in the center of the room, bent and indented with orange and black paint, blue paint on the wooden box it was held in.

There were two jackhammers in the corner where a bright lamp was shining. That was the only light in the room, other than from the open doorway.

A smiling Natalie made her way back over to the door and slammed it shut before handing one hammer to her father. They smiled at each other and stood on opposite sides of the metal box, leaving a curious Emily standing wearily by the door.

The man nodded to his daughter, and Emily watched her nod back.

"Derek Morgan,"

"Natalie Morgan,"

They smiled before slamming the hammers into the box. "Suck our dick's bitches!"

Emily looked at them wide eyed and smiled at their antics. What had she given up on…


	2. Chapter 2

Natalie ran to her room as Derek and Emily sat back down on the couch again. He now had a shirt on, but changed into sweats.

"So… you two look like you have fun."

Derek nodded and sipped the beer in front of him. "She's the best."

Emily nodded. They stayed quiet for minutes, seeming like hours, until Emily finally spoke up.

"Um, I wanted to know, if it was alright with you, if I could take Natalie out to dinner. Maybe a day to bond or something."

Derek turned to her, a scowl crossing his face. "Why?"

"Because she's my daughter…" Emily's voice was soft and crackling.

"You haven't shown that in sixteen years."

Emily's eyes filled with tears as she nervously bit her lip and nodded her head. "I know. But… I want to be in her life, if you let me. I want to make amends with you so we're not mad at each other. I want to be with both of you, as a family, forever."

Derek shook his head. "There's no such thing as forever."

Emily maneuvered herself so she was kneeling in front of Derek. "There is if you believe there is."


	3. Chapter 3

Emily shouldered her purse as she made her way to Derek and Natalie's door. Derek had agreed to give her one night to get to know their daughter, and let it go on from there. Emily began thinking about how she was going to tell Natalie that she was her mother, and she fixed her jacket. Just as she reached to knock on the door, it flung open, revealing a nicely dressed Natalie Morgan. Her caramel hair was curled, with long, silver earrings dangling from her ears. She wore a purple top that was partly hidden by a grey cardigan, her light, ripped jeans matching a white and blue leather bracelet, and black high heeled boots.

Emily smiled as the young girl spun in a circle. "So, what do you think?"

Emily laughed as she nodded. "You look great, and your hair is just adorable."

Natalie smiled as she toyed with a curl that fell on her shoulder. "Thanks. I did it a couple minutes ago." She giggled as she looked at Emily's stunned face. "What?"

"You did that in only a couple of minutes? I took me about a half hour to straighten mine."

Natalie nodded her head and grabbed her purse. "It helps if you have thin hair."

Emily smiled as Natalie shut the door behind her. "Where's your father?"

"He went out for a beer with my Aunt Sarah, said they needed to talk about something while we went out."

Emily nodded absently and sent Natalie a small smile as they waited for the elevator. As they rode the elevator all the way to the lobby, Natalie turned to an oddly quiet Emily. "Are you ok?"

Emily turned to her daughter and smiled. "I'm ok."

"Can I ask, why did you want to take me out anyway?"

Emily's eyes widened slightly before she sent her a shy smile. "Well, your father told me you don't really have a mother figure, and I figured I could take you out for a girl's night."

Natalie nodded as they got off the elevator and walked into the lobby. "Ok. He's right, I don't really have a maternal figure. My dad said that my mom got scared and left, leaving me a note promising she'd come back to see me one day. I actually hope she doesn't come."

Emily held her breath as they walked outside the apartment building. She turned to the young girl and gave a sad smile. "Why do you hope she doesn't' come to see you?"

Natalie sighed as she ran a hand through her bangs that sat aside her face. "I guess because she didn't care enough to be here with me and my dad in the first place. If she really did want to see me, she would have raised me along with my father, not go and live some other life without us."

Emily nodded faintly as she held her tears back. She ran a hand through her hair as she fixed her purse. "Ok, well enough said. Let's go grab a bite to eat."


	4. Chapter 4

Emily looked up from her bowl and sat back in her seat, watching as her daughter took a sip from her soda. They had gone shopping at a couple of stores around the city, and had decided that they were both in the mood for a meal. Emily had let Natalie pick the restaurant, and as it turned out, it was one of her favorites. Natalie must have felt her stare, because at that moment, she looked up at Emily with a smile. "Why are you staring at me?"

Emily shook her head before sitting up straight. "I just… I've never seen someone eat their food so fast before."

Natalie smiled and nodded as she wiped her hands on her napkin. "Yeah. My dad says I inherited the appetite. I eat like a truck driver, yet I look like a young model."

Emily looked wide eyed at the young girl. "Your father said that?"

"Yeah. Said I inherited it from my mother."

Emily hid her small smile as she nodded and settled back into her seat. "Well, since you're almost done with your burger, where do you wanna go?"

Natalie shrugged as she took another sip from her soda. "I have no idea. We went shopping, we ate… we could go to a movie. Or you could spend more money on teenage clothes."

Emily smiled at her daughter when a smile was hidden in her words. "Well, first of all, you fit into clothes that are my size. And everything that you've bought, I want to borrow." She let herself smile again at Natalie's laugh. "But a movie does sound good."

Natalie nodded as they got up and left the restaurant. They had left their shopping bags in Emily's car, so all they carried as they walked down the street was their purses.

"Natalie?"

Natalie stopped and turned to Emily. "What's up?"

Emily shook her head softly and looked down at her hands. "I, uh… I need to tell you something, and I don't know how you're going to take it."

"What is it?"

Emily drew a deep breath before looking her waiting daughter in the face. "My full name is Emily Prentiss… and I'm your mother."


	5. Chapter 5

Emily watched her daughter's eyes widen, before they started to water. "Natalie?" She couldn't get another word in as Natalie shouldered her bag and began walking away, down the crowded city street.

Emily tried to make her way through the crowds, almost getting lost with every step. "Natalie! Natalie, please stop!"

Natalie turned, only for Emily to almost bump into her. "What? What could you possibly want from me now? You weren't here for sixteen years of my life. Sixteen years, Emily!"

"Natalie I know that, but-"

"But nothing!" Natalie shook her head as it started to drizzle. "What did you expect from me? To jump into your arms for a hug? Oh thank you mother for finally coming back to see me, I've missed you so much? No! It doesn't work that way!" She watched Emily's eyes begin to tear, but immediately held up a finger. "You don't get to feel bad, Emily. You don't get to cry over this, because you shouldn't be sad. I'm the one that should be upset that you're just coming to me now, but no. I'm fucking furious!"

Emily's eyes widened at her daughter's words, but quickly shook them off as a tear rolled down her cheek, slowly mixing with the rain falling onto them. "One, I understand why you're angry, because I had a mother who was never there for me. Two, just let me say I am so sorry for not being there, but-"

"Why weren't you?"

Emily's brow furrowed as she looked at her daughter's angered face. "What?"

"Why weren't you there for me? Why did you leave? Why did you throw me away to my dad like some sick puppy nobody would want?"

"Sweetheart, please-"

Natalie slapped her mother's hand as it tried to touch her shoulder. "I am not your sweetheart. And you," she pointed a calloused finger right to Emily's face. "You are not my mother."


	6. Chapter 6

Natalie raced up the stairs of her and her father's apartment building, hearing running footsteps and calls from behind. She didn't care. She ran down the hall and began banging on the door.

"Daddy? I forgot my key, can you open the door?"

Emily began crying on the chase to the apartment, and finally broke down when she heard Natalie call Derek 'daddy'. She watched as the door opened, and tried to grab Natalie's hand. "Natalie please-"

"No."

Natalie tugged her hand away, running into the apartment. She quickly turned, throwing one of the bags of clothing she'd bought in Emily's direction. It landed at his father's feet, who's eyes were wide as he watched the scene unfold. "You can have em'. I don't want them anymore." She looked up, seeing her mother in tears at the front door.

"Natalie please, just listen to me-"

"I'm done listening!" She walked up to her mother before slapping her hard across the face. When Emily looked back up, her hand on her cheek, there was shock in her teary eyes. "Natalie-"

"I hope you rot in hell."

"Natalie Ann go up to your room!"

She stared at her father with fury, before storming off up the stairs. Derek pulled Emily into the apartment, before closing the door behind them. "What happened?"

Emily began to cry as he sat her down on the couch, still holding her hand to her face. "I told her I was her mother… and she got so mad, not even upset. Just angry."

Derek nodded, before putting an icepack over the forming bruise on her cheek. "I realized that. Are you ok?"

Emily nodded, wiping the tears from her face. "I'm fine."

"Well she's grounded for a very long time, I'll tell you that."

Emily immediately shook her head, turning to face him on the couch. "No, she's not. Don't ground her."

"Emily she hit you."

"Yes I know that, but I deserved it. Granted, it really hurt, but she shouldn't be punished for showing her feelings toward me."

"Emily-"

"Please. Don't punish her."


	7. Chapter 7

Emily bit her lip as she handed Derek her ice pack, and began walking up the stairs. There were five doors on the top floor, and she gently laid her ear against every one until she found the one where a teenager was sobbing lightly in her room. It was the last door on the left.

She shook her head slowly before wiping her eyes, wincing slightly when she swiped across her now forming bruise. She quickly padded on the door, her husky voice just above a whisper. "Natalie? Can I come in?"

"No!"

Emily sighed as she felt more tears welling up in her eyes. "Natie, please. I just want to talk to you."

There was a pregnant silence before the tan door opened, and there stood the sad teenage girl, her eyes puffy and her tearstains drying across her creamy white cheeks. "I've only heard that nickname once."

Emily smiled inwardly as she nodded her head. "Yeah, I know. I called your father once when you were about seven. I guess he put me on speakerphone because he told me you were in the room with him, and I asked him how you were. I used that nickname."

Natalie let her lips roll inwardly before she stepped back, letting her mother walk into her room.

The older brunette let her eyes drift across the room as she heard the door close, noticing Natalie sitting back on her bed against her headboard. The room was a light teal with pictures of landscapes hanging over almost every inch. She drew close to the space between Natalie's closet and desk, admiring a picture of Derek and his sisters standing together on a pier. "You're very talented."

Natalie smiled faintly as she wiped her eyes, watching as her ebony haired mother turned back to her. "Thanks. Dad said it was one of the many talents I got from you."

Emily bit her lip once again as she turned, smiling at the young girl before sitting on the opposite end of her bed. "Really? What others did you get from me?"

The young girl scratched her temple as she stood, walking over to her desk before picking up a cup and holding it in front of Emily. "I made this a year ago. Daddy told me you and some guy named Hotch used to make them on your time off from work."

Emily immediately nodded her head as her soft voice came through her lips. "Yes, we did. He's my boss, but instead of Agent Hotchner, or Aaron, we just call him Hotch."

Both girls stood in front of each other, their eyes looking over each feature the other had on their face. Memorizing frown lines, the arch of a brow and even the curve of the other's lips. Green eyes sought out brown before the older woman slowly brought her hand up to her daughter's cheek. "You're so beautiful, Naite. And I am so sorry I haven't been here for you." She sat the young girl down before kneeling in front of her, wiping a fresh tear that fell from the young girl's eye. "I will always love you, my darling. Even if you don't love me back. I completely understand where you're coming from."

Natalie's eyes began to water once more before she wrapped her arms around her mother's neck, feeling the pale woman immediately recuperate and smile into her light hair. "I still hate you, but I love you mom."

Emily let out a happy sob as she rubbed her daughter's back, breathing soothing words into her daughter's ear. "I'm so sorry about what I did." She backed up slightly and took Natalie's face between her sweaty palms. "Please believe me, Natie. I promise you it's the truth."

The young girl nodded as she wiped her nose. "I believe you, mom. And I'm sorry I hit you."

Emily bit back a laugh before kissing Natalie's head. "Don't worry about it."


	8. Chapter 8

Derek gave a long and loud yawn as he slipped on a t-shirt, trudging down the stairs and into the kitchen. His nostrils flared when the aroma of fresh coffee hit him, and his eyes popped open to see a wide awake Emily in a tank top and jeans dancing around his kitchen. "Um, Emily?"

When she didn't look up from the pan on the stove, he slowly made his way to her side and tapped her shoulder. "Emily?"

The brunette jumped away from him, her eyes wide as she took the earbuds from her ears and placed a hand on her heart. "Damn it Derek! You scared the crap out of me!"

Derek resisted the urge to laugh and just gave a smile as he watched her huff out a breath. "I'm sorry, I thought you just couldn't hear me."

Emily threw a playful scowl to the dark man in front of her and held up the plastic spatula she'd been using. "Never toy with a woman while she's in a kitchen full of sharp utensils. It's very dangerous, you have no idea what women are capable of."

He gave a small nod as he pressed his lips together, watching her cheeks flush after he'd scanned her athletic figure in the formfitting jeans and black tank top that came down to just below her navel. "Why are you making breakfast?"

Emily bit her lip before going back to the pan on the stove to flip the pancake. "To try and make up for making practically everyone, including myself, cry last night. Oh! And by the way, thank you for letting me sleep in your guest bedroom."

"You're welcome. So how long are you actually staying?"

Emily set Derek's plate in front of him before going back to the stove, pouring the rest of the batter into the pan, her voice as soft as a newly fallen snow. "As long as you'll have me, if that's ok?" She set her iPod down on the tiled counter before picking her spatula back up. "Hotch gave me a month off, but I guarantee you'll get sick of me before that." She turned off the stove and set the pan in the sink before sitting at the table across from Derek, setting the last pancake in the vacant chair for their daughter.

Derek nodded absently as he looked down at him plate, his fingers tightening around his fork that he tapped on the wooden table. "Emily you left her."

"I know that Derek! I know what I did, and I know how horrible it was. I left her before, but I gained the confidence to come and see her, and I gained enough respect for myself to come and finally meet the wonderful daughter you always rave about. This is not about me, it's about her." She bit her lip hard enough once the tears subsided and refused to roll down her cheeks. "She's my daughter Derek, and I wanna get to know her."

Both heads popped up at a sneeze from the bottom of the stairs, seeing a shy looking Natalie at the bottom of the stairs in a tank top and sweats, her light hair piled on the top of her head.

Emily was the first to smile at the young girl, standing and pointing to the plate closest to her. "Good morning, Natie. I made you guys breakfast."

Natalie nodded slowly before walking over to the table, kissing her father's cheek before walking over to her mother. She let her lighter eyes reach her mother's before going into a hesitant hug, her skinny arms wrapping around the older woman's torso. She felt Emily smile into her hair when her warmer arms wrapped around her shoulders. She set her forehead in the crook of her mother's neck after feeling a kiss land on her hairline. "Good morning, mom."


	9. Chapter 9

Natalie gave one final stroke to her hair before setting down her comb, giving a sigh as she smoothed down her skirt. She had put on a Rolling Stones t-shirt before slipping on a frilled black skirt that went from the center of her stomach, to down to mid-thigh. She let herself smile at her reflection before slipping on her black combat boots and a necklace she had gotten for her fourteenth birthday.

It was a Celtic Love Knot she had gotten from her mother… Emily had sent it through the mail.

Natalie put her wavy hair up in a pony before grabbing her bag and walking out of her room, jogging down the stairs to see her parents immediately turn their heads to her.

Derek gave her a glare as Emily's eyebrows hit her hairline.

Natie furrowed her brows as she shouldered her bag, walking over to the couch and sitting on the armrest. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Natalie, go and change."

Her eyebrows shot up just as her mother's did a moment ago. "Why?"

Emily gave a humorless chuckle as she looked over to her daughter. "Sweetheart, that skirt is very cute but it's just a little too short."

Natalie shook her head as she stood, watching both her parents eyes follow her as she backed up into the kitchen. "Aunt Sarah bought this for me last year and I told her I'd wear it. That's what I'm doing."

Derek sighed as her ran his hands over his soft head. "Natalie, it's too in-"

"It's not inappropriate, dad! If it were, she wouldn't have bought it for me. You know who she was with when she bought it? Grandma!"

Emily bit her lip as she saw Derek's face begin to redden. "Okay, Natie what I think your father is trying to say is that since you're going somewhere with people who…have only one thing on their mind, it might be wise to change into jeans. Or even a longer skirt!"

Natalie huffed as she walked back over to the couch, grabbing her mother's hand before standing her up. "Mom, I'm going to a school event. There will be chaperones and they'll tell me if what I'm wearing is inappropriate." She looked past her mother and gave her dad a small smile before sitting next to him. "Daddy, when I get there I can pull my sweater off and wrap it around my waist if you want."

Derek gave his daughter a good grin before pulling her into a hug. "That's my girl!"

Once she was out the door, Derek turned to Emily to see tears in her eyes. "Hey hey, what's wrong Em?"

Emily shook her head as her fingers scratched her neck. "She's wearing the necklace I got her. I had it specially made for her. Her b-birthstone is in the center."

"She's worn that every time she goes out."

She bit her lip as she looked to her former lover, a watery smile gracing her features. "Really?"

Derek nodded, hugging his friend before kissing her temple. "Always."


	10. Chapter 10

Emily slowly looked up from the book in her hand to see her daughter walking through the front door of the apartment, a smile on her face. But the older woman's eyes quickly narrowed as she saw a boy on her daughter's hand as the door shut, and Derek came out of the bathroom. "How was the school function, Natalie?"

Natalie shook her head and squeezed the boy's hand just a little tighter when she saw both adults eyes make quick glares him. "Insanely boring."

Emily pursed her lips and nodded, smiling sarcastically as she stood from the couch and made her way next to her ex-lover, her book still laying where she had sat. "And you picked up a piece of arm candy, did ya'?"

The young girl tried her best to smile bright as she brought the boy she had brought home next to her, squeezing his shoulders as she did so. "Mom, this is Cliff. Cliff, this my mom Emily. And you already know my dad."

Cliff smiled to the adults that kept their hard eyes on him, brushing his golden hair across his forehead. "It's nice to meet you Mrs. Morgan."

Emily nodded slowly as she felt Derek's arm wrap around her shoulders, and embraced the name she'd been called by the young boy that grasped her daughter's hand. She kept her eyes on the kids as the dark man bent down to whisper into her ear. "This is her rotten boyfriend. He can be sweet to her, but he just has that vibe that I don't like."

The older brunette squeezed Derek's arm to let him know she understood, and gave a bright smile to the teenagers standing in front of her. "It's nice to meet you too, Cliff."

Natalie groaned inwardly before tugging on her boyfriend's hand. "Come on, let's go upstairs."

It was not a millisecond later before both parents ran and blocked the teens from walking up the staircase. "Whoa! Both of you are staying right down here where Emily and I can see you."

"Daddy!"

Emily held a hand out to her daughter and immediately shook her head. "Natalie, I agree with your father. We're going to keep an eye on you, especially because this is the first time I'm getting to know Cliff." She sent an innocent smile to the young boy before looking back to the brunette girl. "Understood?"

Natalie huffed before raising a hand to her forehead and saluting her mother. "Yes ma'am."

Derek watched as both kids walked over to the kitchen table and quickly sat down. He smiled to himself before turning back to Emily, watching as her features turned from calm to shocked. "Em?"

"She ma'am-ed me."

The tall, dark man sighed before shaking his head, quickly playing with the curls of Emily's hair before tapping her cheek. "No she didn't."

Emily grunted as she rushed up the stairs after Derek. "I am way younger than a ma'am!"


	11. Chapter 11

Emily let her teeth gnaw into her thumb as she and Derek sat on the couch, their eyes glancing back and forth between their daughter and the television that was put on mute. So far, the teens hadn't done anything. But the parents still didn't feel as if they should be alone. "How long have they been dating?"

"Two years." Derek sighed as his arm lazily wrapped around Emily's shoulders, watching as she tucked her knees into her chest. "He can act smart, but apparently not in school. And he is very sweet to her. They've only fought…maybe five times."

The brunette shook her head as she watched the teenage couple share a small kiss. "There's just something about him…"

"I know. I feel the same way."

The two let their eyes linger until their daughter glanced up from her textbook, and their heads immediately turned and looked as if they were staring at something on the television.

Natalie gave a snort as she set her pencil down, her eyes looking towards her parents. "You two do know that I can see you right?"

No answer.

"And you know I can tell that the television is on mute, right? You know, with no sound coming out?"

Both adults pursed their lips, no letting out a sound as their eyes remained on the quiet TV.

The brunette sighed as she stood from her seat. "Cliff, could you get me a soda from the fridge?"

Cliff gave a nod before standing, kissing his girlfriend's cheek before wandering into the kitchen.

Natalie waited until her boyfriend made his way into the kitchen before stomping over to her parents, standing in front of the television so their eyes were on her. "Are you two kidding me! I am a good girl and I've never done anything remotely bad to make you watch me like I'm a psycho!" She jabbed a finger towards the kitchen and watched as her parent's eyes widen. "He is a nice boy and I've liked him for forever. And daddy I know you don't think greatly of him, but he's my boyfriend and you're already turning mom against him!"

"I am doing no such thing."

The young girl lifted an eyebrow before turning her eyes towards her mother. "Mom?"

Emily gave a smile to her daughter as she felt Derek's arm tighten around her. "Yes sweetheart?"

"Do you think Cliff is a nice guy?"

The older woman took a deep breath before giving a gentle smile the brunette, her eyes soft as she shook her head. "Well…"

"Do you see what you did, dad?"

Derek's eyes widened as he sat straighter on the couch. "She didn't even get a word out!"

Natalie shook her head before sitting down on the coffee table in front of her parents. "You two have to stop watching us! We're not going to jump each other, we're not going to feel each other up in front of you or even behind you backs, and we're certainly not going to have sex or rob a damn bank!" She let a small smile spread across her face when she saw her mother's mouth hang open. "He's a nice kid, and he loves me. So if you two don't mind, I have a date to get back to."

Both shocked adults watched as their daughter went into the kitchen, grabbed her purse and boyfriend's hand before walking out of the apartment.

Derek slowly shook his head as their wide eyes looked over the back of the couch to the now closed apartment door. "Did she just…"

"I think she did."

The darker man stood before grabbing his coat. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

Emily immediately nodded as she jumped off the couch, slipping on her shoes before grabbing her keys from the coffee table. "You get the binoculars. I'll pull the car up."


	12. Chapter 12

The couple, or ex-couple, kept their dark eyes trained on the road before them and the sidewalks beside them as they drove throughout the streets of Chicago. Natalie had left not five minutes before the two, but for the life of the two parents, they couldn't spot their daughter anywhere.

Emily's fingers gripped the steering wheel as her eyes sought out each and every teenage girl on the street. She felt her heart pound in her chest before she gave a shake of the head, her eyes glancing towards the dark man next to her with the binoculars held to his face. "Derek we need to find her."

The younger man let out a sigh before nodding his head. "I know, Em." He shrugged, fixing the view finder on the binoculars in his hands. "But she knows how to stay out of trouble around here. I'm sure she'll be just fine."

"You don't know that, Derek."

Derek's eyes turned to the brunette and harden, his hands laying the binoculars into his lap. "I think I know my daughter, Emily."

Emily's head spun as they made their way to a stoplight, her eyes boring into his. "Our daughter, Derek. Natalie Ann Morgan is **_our_** daughter."

"Our daughter?" Derek felt his anger boil to the surface as the cars honked behind them. "Natalie hasn't been ours for sixteen years, Emily. She's been mine." He watched as the older woman's eyes immediately went from angry to hurt in a matter of seconds. "She's lived with me, she's had dinner every night with me, she's slept in my household with me and she's grown up into an amazing young lady because of me." His eyes hardened on the brunette. "What have you done to make her 'your child'?"

Emily bit her lip before giving a slow shake of the head. "I'm might not have been there fo-"

"Might? Emily you were nev-"

"LET ME FINISH, DEREK!"

The younger woman sulked back into his seat.

Emily let out a breath before looking out over her rearview mirror, her jaw tensing as the cars continued to honk. "Give me a minute, buddy!"

Once she had driven into a vacant parking spot on the side of the street, Emily's fingers pulled the key from the ignition. She took a deep breath before looking to the dark man beside her, watching as he could only look out the windshield and not at her. "Derek, you have never given me a chance, at all during this visit, to tell you how I've felt. How I felt about this."

Derek let a scoff escape his throat. "This isn't about you, Emily. This is about Natalie."

Emily shook her head. "It's about why I left you and Natalie, Derek. You have to understand how horrible I felt after giving birth to her."

"This is great, Em. You should really tell your daughter this story." He held up a finger, pointing it towards the older woman and giving a sarcastic smile. "Oh wait, she's **_our_** daughter isn't she?"

Emily's eyes closed before taking in another breath, her hands fisting in her lap as she tried to calm herself down. "Derek, I had PTSD. You don't understand ho-"

"You think because you had a stress disorder is a reasonable excuse?" The younger man's eyes hardened on the brunette. "You think Natalie and I are going to take that as a valuable explanation? Because you were stressed?"

"Derek you really don't understand what I was going through."

Derek shook his head. "I understand that instead of coming and talking to the father of your daughter, you left! You just left us, Emily!"

Emily felt her heart begin to pound. "I couldn't talk to you, Derek."

"Why not?"

"Because you didn't want to listen!"

The darker man glared at the older woman. "That is NOT true!"

"It is true! Of course it's true! You were too involved with our daughter to listen to one word I said." Emily bit her lip. "You didn't want to listen to me at all, Derek."

Derek took the brunette by the shoulders. "You're lying!"

"Derek why would I-"

Her sentence was immediately cut off by the back of her ex's hand slapping her cheek, causing her head to spin and her hair fall into her face. She let out a cry before her hand came up to cover her quivering lips before she looked to the younger man, watching as his own eyes widened in shock.

Derek shook his head as he felt guilt wash over him, his heart racing as he watched tears quickly gather in the brunette's eyes. "Emily…"

Emily quickly grabbed her purse from the floor near Derek's feet and shook her head, a tear falling onto her reddened cheek before she opened her door. Just as her foot stepped out of the car and onto the street, a hand quickly wrapped itself around her arm.

"Emily please. I didn't mean to-"

"Let go of me."

Derek looked to his ex and gave a sigh. "Emily, please…"

Emily's eyes hardened before she stepped out of the car, her head shaking as another cry escaped past her lips. "I said to let me go!" Her hand pushed the car door as hard as it could, and she took in a breath as it slammed hard.

The younger man quickly made his way out of the car and watched the brunette run down the street, her hands going up to, what he assumed, was to wipe the tears that wouldn't stop falling. "Emily!"


	13. Chapter 13

Derek's eyes were frantically searching for the brunette woman who had ran away from him only moments ago. He felt his heart practically break in two when he had seen the tears from her big brown eyes fall down her cheeks, and he kicked himself at every second he could for laying his hand on a woman like that.

No. Not a woman.

His woman.

He quickly rounded a corner and felt himself freeze right in his tracks, his eyes landing on a tall brunette that stood near a bench with a young girl held tight in her arms.

Emily had found their daughter.

Derek hid himself at the side of the building as fast as he could, his ear poking around the corner so he could listen to the women.

.

Emily's tears sneakily found their way into Natalie's light hair, her chin pressing against the top of her daughter's head with their arms tightly wrapped around one another. She laid a quick kiss to Natalie's forehead before holding her face between her hands. "Sweetheart I am so glad I found you."

Natalie looked up to her mother, her head shaking as she tried to wipe away the older woman's tears. "Mom, I didn't know I scared you that much. I'm really sorry."

Emily shook her head, holding her daughter as tightly as she could once more before sitting them both on the bench. "I don't mind that you went out with your boyfriend, because that's normal and totally fine. But when you just up and leave when your father and I are watching you, you scare the living shit out of us."

Natalie's eyes widened when she heard the cuss word exit past her mother's lips. "Mom!"

"Oh for the love of God, I don't care about stupid curse words at the moment, Natalie Ann. This is a serious situation." She hardened her still stinging eyes on the brunette beside her. "You basically ran away, Natalie."

The younger girl quickly shook her head. "I did not ru-"

"Leaving the house without telling either of your parents where you're going, and taking your purse filled with money and your cell phone can be characterized as 'running away', so don't you tell me that that's not what it was."

Natalie felt even more guilt well in her chest when she saw her mother bit her bottom lip, fighting too keep more tears from falling down her cheeks. "Ok. I'm sorry."

Emily nodded slowly, sucking in her lips before letting out a sigh. "You should really call your father. He's worried sick."

"Well why isn't he with you?"

The brunette shrugged her shoulders, turning her gaze towards the building in front of her and rubbed the palms of her hands up and down her thighs. "We decided to split up. Seemed like an easier and faster way to find you."

Natalie felt her mother's voice tug at her heart, and she softly traced her fingers across the new red spot on Emily's cheek. "You're a bad liar, mom."

Emily gave a small smile, laying a kiss to the back of her daughter's hand before giving a light squeeze. "We should go and find him. Sound ok?"

Natalie's eyes softened on the older woman after standing from the bench, their hands still clasped together. "If you want, we could make a run to the movie store and rent a couple DVD's. Have a mother/daughter night in?" She smiled. "I can tell dad to beat it once we're home."

Emily felt a vaguely familiar lump form at the hollow of her throat, and she did her best to nod at the younger girl while tears continued to well in her eyes. "That sounds perfect, sweetheart."

The younger girl smiled up to the brunette beside her, untangling their fingers so she could wrap an arm around her mother's waist. "So you ready?"

Emily held her daughter tightly to her side, nodding once more before they made their way to the corner of the street.

The older brunette's eyes widened when she saw her daughter's father standing just against the brick building, his saddened gaze staring her way. She slowly shook her head before looking down to Natalie at her side. "Why don't you go get in the car, ok? Your father and I will be right there. It's just around the block."

Natalie let her arm slip from her mother's body before running up to her father, wrapping her arms tight around his strong neck. "I'm so sorry, daddy. I know I scared you both, and I'm sorry."

Derek shook his head, kissing his daughter's light hair before looking back to the older woman who quickly tried to wipe away her tears. "I know, baby girl. Just go and get in the car."

Emily held her breath as the younger man took a step to stand in front of her, and she crossed her arms just under her breasts. "Why did you follow me?"

"Why wouldn't I follow you, Emily?" Derek held his hand out to the brunette, immediately cursing himself when he saw the woman before him flinch away. "Emily, I hurt you. I'm so, so sorry."

Emily quickly shook her head. "Sorry doesn't change what you did, Derek."

The younger man let his fingers make their way under the ivory woman's chin, lifting it slightly so he could see the tears in her big brown eyes. "I know that I can never ever change what I did, or make up for it with a stupid apology like this or cheap flowers from the florist downtown. All I know is that Natalie and I need you here right now, and ignore me and hate me if you need, but we have to put her first. We can't let her see us hating one another."

The brunette felt her eyes widen before she narrowed her gaze on the younger man before her, her eyebrows furrowing as her fingers tightened themselves around her upper arms. "That's it? That's your apology to me?"

"Emily I-"

"No, you fucking listen to me!" She swatted his hand away from her face, her heart aching when she saw confusion in his eyes. "You hit me, Derek Morgan. You slapped me right across the fucking face when I was trying to have a nice, civil discussion with you. And now you barely give an apology? No apology for the woman who gave you your daughter? For the woman you used to love and make love to every night?" She felt her face reddening as she took a bold step forward. "Do I just mean nothing to you now?"

Derek's eyes widened. "Emily! You mean ev-"

"Don't lie to me! You can't just expect us to go and play happy family after what's happened, Derek!" Emily grabbed the younger man's hand, placing over the red mark just below her eye. "You see this, Derek? You feel this? This warm, red mark is from your hand. From the rage that you've carried around for years, and you finally decided to let it out."

Derek let his hand slide softly from the older woman's cheek, his eyes stinging when she saw an angry tear slip down the red that marred her face. "Emily please, just..."

Emily shook her head, a laugh escaping her throat. "Just what, Derek? Just try and pretend like nothing happened?" She let her angry eyes bore into his. "What if you had taken this out on Natalie instead of me, huh? What would have happened then?"

She was met with silence.

Emily angrily bit into her lip, backing away so she could get over to the car. "That's what I thought. So how about, instead of acting like nothing happened and letting this just slide by, you go and get some fucking help."


	14. Chapter 14

Emily's nimble fingers worked their way through her daughter's curled hair, her chin laying atop the young girl's head as they lay together on the couch with their heads turned towards the television. The teenager had fallen asleep during the movie, leaving her mother to fawn over the way she breathed and even drooled in her sleep.

The brunette's eyes crinkled when she heard the front door opening, doing her best to refrain herself from groaning when she heard Derek let out a swear as he dropped his coat to the floor. She pursed her lips as she heard his footsteps begin to come her way, and she tightened her arms around her daughter and closed her eyes; doing her best to pretend to have fallen asleep.

Derek stumbled into the living room, his eyes lazily gluing themselves to the pair of girls that lay on his couch. He let out a breath before kneeling in front of his two girls, his hand gently smoothing over his daughter's bangs. His eyes looked up to the older brunette that had his daughter in its confines, and he immediately felt anger rise within his chest. His hand clenched before bringing it down to the coffee table, the books and remote falling to the floor. "Wake up!"

Emily felt her body shake at the sound of the older man, and her eyes immediately popped open, laying on the dark figure that knelt before her. "What do you think you're doing?"

The older man felt his heart break as his daughter snuggled into her mother's warmth, nd he grit his teeth before looking to his ex. He felt his eyes fill with water as he saw the brunette woman look to him in fear. "You're taking her from me."

Emily looked to her ex with her brows furrowed, feeling her daughter begin to stir in her hold. "Excuse me?"

"You're taking her from me!"

The brunette's eyes glanced down to the teen that lay with her, watching as her head popped up from its place on her chest with fright. She quickly helped her daughter stand, ushering her towards the staircase. "Honey, I need you to get up to your room, ok? Lock the door."

Natalie hazily shook her head, feeling her mother's hands pushing her up the staircase. "What's wrong? What's the matter with daddy?"

Emily just kept moving her up the stairs, flinching as she heard something shatter back in the living room. "Natie please, just go and get into your room." She turned back to Derek who was throwing his fists around in the air, and her eyes widened before making her way back to her ex. "Lock the door!" She slowly walked back towards the upset man, her hands gently rising in the air in a surrender stance. "Derek?"

Derek shook his head, looking to the younger woman with tears falling from his eyes. He felt himself sniffle as he watched his ex look to him in fear, and he gave a point of the finger. "She's my baby girl! She loves me! She's lived with me forever and she's MINE! Why are you trying to take her away from me?"

Emily tried to soften her features as she took another step forward. "Derek, what are you talking about?"

"She's mine!"

The brunette bit her lip, inhaling the scent of alcohol from all the way across the room. "Derek I know she's yours." She smiled as she pictured her little newborn baby sitting in the arms of the older man. "She was your baby girl. You took care o her."

Derek gave a shaky nod of the head, letting out a silent cry as he looked to the younger woman. "Yeah."

Emily gave a soft smile, taking a step forward as she watched the older man start to crumble. "And she was a beautiful baby, wasn't she? Had your father's eyes and my laugh." She bit her lip, her own eyes starting to water. "She had your heart."

"She still does!" He gave a swift kick to the coffee table, loving the sound of it crack, its remains falling to the ground. He looked back up to the brunette across from him, stepping forward until he was face to face with the scared woman. "You're not going to take her away from me! She has always been mine, Emily! Mine!"

Emily felt her chin tremble as the older man's eyes bore down on her. "I know she's yours, Derek." She hardened her eyes before looking up to her ex. "But she'd mine too."

Derek lifted his hand, bringing it down just to the side of the younger woman's face. He watched as Emily did her best not to flinch away from him before he felt his heart crack. "Emily..." He cupped the now non-reddened cheek in his palm, watching as the brunette's watering eyes looked up to him. "I don't want hit you again."

The younger woman shook her head. "I don't want you to."

Natalie's eyes watered as she looked down to her parents from the staircase, her hands tightening around the bars that held up the staircase's railing.


	15. Chapter 15

Emily let out a small sigh as she hung up the phone, pushing her hair back with her fingers as she gazed out to the early morning sky. She turned her head slightly as her ex sat beside her on the couch, and she gave a tired smile when she heard him huff. "So?"

The darker man ran his hands over his flannel pajama pants, making sure not to make the wrong move around his ex partner. "Well, I just got off the phone with the best family counselor in Chicago. She said she could meet with us at noon."

The brunette woman gave a silent nod, turning her head once more and staring back out the large window before her.

"Em?" Derek itched to put a comforting hand on her, watching as her eyes began to glaze over. "Em? What's going on?"

Emily sniffled before shaking her head, her tired voice whispering into the air as she used the heels of her hands to wipe away her tears. "I just spoke to Hotch." She sighed, moving her gaze to look at Derek's hands that sat in his lap. "He said that Strauss has demanded I come back the day my leave is up or I'll be replaced."

Derek's eyes widened. "What? She can't do that!" He watched as she gave a numb shake of the head. "Did Hotch talk to the director? That guy practically worships you!"

Emily felt her eyes sting as she clicked her tongue across the roof of her mouth. "That's the best part about all this. If they decide to drop me as an agent, the Pentagon wants to pull me in as a translator."

"They can't do that!"

"That's the thing, Derek! They can! The Pentagon has wanted me for years, and I can't refuse! This is above everyone's heads." She let out a small cry as she shrugged her shoulders. "There's nothing I can do about it."

Derek watched as the ivory woman beside him broke down, and he quickly pulled her into his arms. "Please don't cry, Emily."

Emily, forgetting about all of the bad things that had happened between her and the other man, and quickly wrapped her arms around his neck. "I don't wanna leave."

The darker man's eyebrows furrowed, his hands rubbing up and down her back. "You don't want to leave?"

The brunette nodded against her ex's neck, letting her tears trail down his chocolate skin. "I missed you, and my heart broke every time I thought about Natie." She felt her lips quiver as she backed away, looking up into the big eyes of the older man. "I just want my family back."

"Em..."

"I get it, we need to get our shit together. We need to talk to Natalie and go to therapy, you need an anger management course," she shook her head, "but this needs to work. This needs to work because my heart depends on it, Derek."

The older man took the crying woman before him back into a hug, shushing her gently as she continued to cry.

Emily bit her lip. "I don't want my heart to break again, Derek."

Derek nodded, his cheek brushing against the brunette's. "Me neither, Em."


End file.
